(I’m a cashier and have only been one for about a week at this point. I’m out of fives and ones, so my manager is off to get me some more change for my register when this guy comes up with a few books. My manager is within twenty feet of me.)

Me: “I can help you in just a moment, sir; my manager’s bringing me more money for my register.”

Customer: *angrily* “I don’t need money; I’m paying with a card!”

Me: “Well, I need the money for anyone behind you, so if you could wait just one more moment…”

(My manager gets to me and then realizes she doesn’t have enough money to exchange for the 100 she took, so she calls up one of the assistant managers to come bring the rest. I go ahead and check this guy out. I punch in four hardbacks, one paperback, and a kid’s paperback.)

Me: “Your total is $13.56.”

Customer: *looks at the screen, looks at his books, looks at me* “There is a mistake here; the price is too high.” *getting more annoyed, he leans over my counter to look at my screen where I’ve put in his items and he points* “Too many hardbacks!”

(I double-check. Sure enough, I rang up a paperback as a hardback. I tell my manager and she voids it for me. I change it to a paperback.)

Customer: “You know, at [Grocery Chain], a mistake like that would make this free.”

Me: “Your total is $11.67, sir; debit or credit?”

(He grumbled very angrily until he left the store.)

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(I am stocking pasta sauce when a customer walks up.)

Me: “Hello, sir. Can I help you find anything?”

Customer: “Which of these sauces provides the most authentic Italian experience?”

Me: “Um… Well, I know that [Brand #1] is very popular, though I’m partial to [Brand #2]…”

Customer: “Yes, but which is the most Italian?”

Me: “I don’t believe any of these brands are from Italy, but this one mentions Italian seasoning, if you’re interested?”

Customer: “Never mind. I’ll just get this.” *grabs a can of tomato paste and wanders off*

(In hindsight, I maybe should have stopped him, but I was just too stunned!)

(I work in a home improvement center. Sometimes we are able to sell discontinued items off the floor. This item is a very expensive vanity that has been discontinued for several years.)

Customer: “I like this vanity a lot. How much does this one cost?”

Me: “Luckily, that one is discontinued! It’s the last of its kind. The discounted price is $500.00. It used to list in the thousands.”

Customer: “That’s not a bad deal. I’ll take it.”

Me: “Wonderful! Follow me and I’ll write that up for you. Since it’s discontinued, you can take it home off the floor today. We offer delivery, as well. I was pretty sad when they stopped making that item.”

Customer: “I can see why. It’s beautiful. I need two.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s discontinued. The only one left is this one here.”

Customer: “Oh, well, just write me up for two of them. That would be $1,000, right?”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. This is the last one. It has been for a long time, since the company stopped making that item. It’s not possible to get a second one.”

Customer: “Oh, whatever. I know that is just a marketing ploy to make people think they are getting a deal.”

Me: “It’s really not a ploy. Items with the stickers on them in the store are no longer being made. They are usually the last ones we have and will be able to get.”

Customer: “Listen, sweetie, just type up my order. Don’t make me talk to your boss.”

Me: “I would be very happy to have my boss explain this, also. I can show you the product list from this manufacture, and this vanity set will not be listed. It is on one from 2012. They stopped making it after that year.”

Customer: “Look, I’m being patient. Now you are wasting my time.”

Me: “I’m sorry that you feel that way, but there is nothing I can do about this situation. It is not possible to get another vanity like this one, unless you have one custom made to match.”

Customer: “Fine. I’ll take my business elsewhere. You just lost your store $1,000! I’ll take the vanity information to [Competitor].”

Me: “You are free to shop where you wish; however, that store has never carried this brand and will not be able to get a discontinued item.”

Customer: “We will see about that!”

(A little while later, I got a call from the other store asking if we had any of these vanities, since they don’t carry that brand and didn’t know it was discontinued. I feel bad for the salesperson who had to deal with the fallout over there.)

(I’m six months pregnant, and I’ve just woken up, as my boyfriend is getting ready to leave for work. He sees me sitting up, looking a little grouchy, and he comes over and sits on the side of the bed, giving me a hug.)

Boyfriend: “Doing okay there?”

Me: *grunts* “Yeah. Didn’t sleep well.”

Boyfriend: “I’m sorry.” *kisses my forehead* “I’m about to head out. Do you want me to bring you anything back?”

Me: “The winning lottery ticket?”

Boyfriend: *smirking* “How about food?”

Me: *snickering* “That sounds good, too; probably more immediate payout, as well.”

Boyfriend: “Agreed. You’ll probably be much happier, anyway.”

(He sure knows the way to my heart! And how to brighten my morning!)

(I work at a large discount store. Apple sauce packets can be purchased either individually or by the box. I am buying a large, 24-count box, and have opened it while shopping so my child can eat one pouch as a snack. It is priced by the box, so I am paying the same amount whether one pouch is missing or not. I have folded the four flaps over each other to reclose it before checking out. The cashier then, inexplicably, reopens the box, dumps all the pouches out, and starts scanning them individually.)

Me: “Excuse me; those are sold by the box, not individually.”

Cashier: “Okay.” *continues to scan*

Me: “If you scan each one individually, it is going to take a lot longer, and—”

Cashier: *interrupts* “No, it’s fine. It will be fine.” *continues to scan*

Me: “Ma’am, I’d really rather you didn’t scan it that way, because—”

Cashier: *interrupts again* “It’s all the same. It’s fine doing it like this.”

(I’ve had enough at this point.)

Me: “Ma’am, please stop, and please let me speak. Those pouches are ringing up at $0.99 each. If you ring it up by the 24-count box, it is $13. By scanning each pouch individually, it will cost $24. Please put the pouches back in the box and start over.”

Cashier: “Well, I had no way of knowing that. Now we have to cancel it all, and it might take longer.”

Me: “Yes. I tried to stop you in the beginning, but you didn’t listen. For future reference, things are usually cheaper by the case.”

(Mistakes are no big deal. Everyone makes them. But the bad attitude was totally uncalled for.)